Photos: Seal Harbour, Glengarriff, Co. Cork

Creeping Willow Salix repens Saileach reatha Family: Salicaceae Flowering: April-May. Deciduous bush or undershrub. Native. Short catkins on leafy stalks followed by crimson fruit, covered in white hairs. The small oval leaves are pointed, usually un-toothed, with silky white hairs on undersides. Creeping rhizomes with prostrate and erect woody stems. Prostrate forms grow to 50cm tall, erect forms to 1.25m Locally frequent on coastal dunes and heaths, also inland on moorland Salix repens subsp. argentea has hairs on both sides of leaves

Creeping Willow, Salix repens, Saileach reatha